1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for managing components for use in manufacturing various products.
2. Description of the Related Art
In processes for developing and manufacturing various products (units), many kinds of components are necessary.
Generally, selection and purchasing of components are done under the control of a development section and/or design section in corporations, based on their determination. Various components are selected and ordered by various sections of a single corporation, based on their own determination, under the consideration the quality, function, price, etc. of those components. Information regarding such components are managed individually by each group or section of the corporation.
Conventionally, clear criteria based on which components are selected have not been established. Hence, the components can rarely be selected objectively, and low quality components which are so expensive for the quality might have been purchased. Further, in many cases, many kinds of components which kind of which is very few in number are ordered, resulting in high cost for ordering and purchasing those components.
The quality and price of components change from time to time. The information regarding the components are separately managed by the sections of the corporation. Hence, updating of such information may repeatedly be done, and such updated information may be leaked. In such structure, the management of the component information can not efficiently be performed. Thus, some components which have been considered as those not to be purchased any more may be selected and purchased by someone in the corporation.